Agricultural vehicle with adjustable ground clearance and a method thereof

Abstract

An agricultural vehicle V with adjustable ground clearance and a method 70 thereof is provided. The agricultural vehicle V includes a vehicular structure C, a pair of front wheels FW, a pair of rear wheels RW, at least one front axle, at least one rear axle, a pair of final drive housings FH, a plurality of locking elements LP and an extension arrangement E. The vehicular structure C is configured to be moved between at least one lowered position in which each final drive housing FH is locked to the vehicular structure C at corresponding first locking positions, and at least one raised position in which each final drive housing FH is locked to the vehicular structure C at corresponding second locking positions. The extension arrangement E adapted to be coupled between corresponding front wheels FW and a front axle when vehicular structure C is at the raised position.

We claim: 
     
       1. A vehicle V with adjustable ground clearance, the vehicle V comprising:
 a vehicular structure C; and 
 a pair of final drive housings FH adapted to be coupled between at least one rear axle and corresponding rear wheels RW, 
 wherein 
 said vehicular structure C includes a plurality of locking points (P  1  and P  2 ) at a defined pitch circle diameter having a rear axle pivot axis as center point; and 
 said vehicular structure C is configured to be moved between at least one lowered position in which each of said final drive housing FH is locked to said vehicular structure C at corresponding first locking positions, and at least one raised position in which each of said final drive housing FH is locked to said vehicular structure C at corresponding second locking positions. 
 
     
     
       2. The vehicle V as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising an extension arrangement E adapted to be coupled between corresponding front wheels FW and corresponding front axle when said vehicular structure C is at the raised position. 
     
     
       3. The vehicle V as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said extension arrangement E comprises a pair of extension members (E  1  and E  2 ) adapted to be coupled between said corresponding front wheels FW and said corresponding front axle when said vehicular structure C is at the raised position. 
     
     
       4. The vehicle V as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein one end of each of said final drive housing FH is pivoted to the rear axle; and
 another end of each of said final drive housing FH is coupled to corresponding each rear wheel RW. 
 
     
     
       5. The vehicle V as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each of said final drive housing FH is locked to said vehicular structure C at corresponding each first locking point P  1  when said vehicular structure C is at the lowered position. 
     
     
       6. The vehicle V as claimed in  claim 5  comprising a plurality of locking elements LP,
 wherein
 each of said locking element LP is adapted to lock corresponding each final drive housing FH to said vehicular structure C at at least one of corresponding each first locking point P  1  and corresponding each second locking point P  2  when said vehicular structure C is at the lowered position and the raised position respectively. 
 
 
     
     
       7. The vehicle V as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each of said final drive housing FH is locked to said vehicular structure C at corresponding each second locking point P  2  when said vehicular structure C is at the raised position.